Painting with Sunlight: The Stained Glass Art of Harry Clarke

“The glory of colour, which was his chief gift, is a strange blend of dark beauty and almost spectral luminosity.” - A.Kelly

 

In this episode Rachel and Phoebe put a spotlight on one of Ireland’s great artists: Harry Clarke. Famed for his stained glass art, Clarke’s work can be found in churches throughout Ireland, exhibiting his astounding use of colour and his distinctive figurative style. We discuss his place in Irish art history and his work establishing a distinctively Irish style in the 20th century. We contrast his religious work with his secular, often literary based pieces, and his use of gothic and grotesque elements in both. And we discuss how Clarke’s distinctive style draws the humanity out in his depictions of saints and his biblical scenes.

 

Music: Ashton Manor by Kevin MacLeod

 

Hosts: Rachel Sherlock, Phoebe Watson

 

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 Works Mentioned:

 

To see the stained glass pieces discussed in this episode, visit the Risking Enchantment Substack.

Dark Beauty: Hidden Detail in Harry Clarke’s Stained Glass by Lucy Costigan and Michael Cullen

 

Poems / by Theodore Maynard ; with an introduction by G.K. Chesterton

 

Alarms and Discursions by G.K.Chesterton

 

Orthodoxy by G.K Chesterton

 

What We’re Enjoying at the Moment

 

Phoebe: Murder on the Orient Express (on stage)

 

Rachel: A Spring Harvest by Geoffrey Bache Smith